18 October 2012 7:20 PM

The way we drink is the real danger to our health - and must be tackled

Binge drinking is more dangerous than low levels of
regular drinking. This has been found to be true in laboratory rats. It may
also be true in humans.

This recent research, published in the online edition of the journal Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, is fascinating, partly because the researchers
clearly understand alcoholism.

They are not pontificating from ivory towers in
government departments, health authorities, worthy but mindless charities or
two-brained universities. They do not appear to be single-issue fanatics. They
did research that could have relevance to real live human beings right now.

They found that, after only six weeks, ‘binge-drinking’ rats were consuming far more
than those with access to a continuous supply of alcohol.

They also found that, after only a few months, binge-drinking rats showed signs of impairment in brain function
similar to the changes seen in established alcoholic humans.

The research scientists exposed the 'binge drinking' rats
to alcohol for just three days a week. They say that their findings provide an
insight into how the brain adapts to various drinking patterns.

Now here comes the interesting bit:

The researchers found disorders in a small group of brain
neurons, in the prefrontal cortex, which normally act as a brake on emotional
and impulsive behaviour.

In the 'binge drinking' rats, these neurons were
unusually active in the periods in between drinking binges. Also, the more
active these neurons were, the more the rats drank when they next had access to
alcohol.

The lead researcher, Olivier George, of The Scripps
Research Institute in California said: ‘It’s like a lot of things in life that
the brain perceives as good – if it loses access to it, you feel bad, you get
into a negative emotional state, a little bit frustrated, and so you take more
the next time you have access.

‘We suspect that this very early adaptation of the brain
to intermittent alcohol use helps drive the transition from ordinary social
drinking to binge drinking and dependence.’

Yes, yes, he certainly got that right.

Dr George went on to say that tests during ‘dry’
intervals between drinking sessions showed that the 'binge-drinking' rats
scored poorly on memory, and also struggled with emotions.

‘We normally see such changes in the brains of humans or
other animals that are highly dependent on alcohol – but here we found these
changes in the rats after only a few months of intermittent alcohol use.

The negative effect on the rats' brains disappeared if
they were kept off alcohol for two weeks but these damaging effects returned if
the rats drank alcohol again.'

If that isn't proof of the futility of encouraging
alcoholics to try some 'sensible drinking', what is? Clearly for these rats,
and therefore probably for humans, abstinence is the only way forward.

George Koob, of the research institute’s Pearson Center
for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, said: ‘This process would be of
particular concern in adolescents and
young adults, in whom the prefrontal
cortex isn’t even fully developed.’

Indeed so: binge drinking sessions are common in students
and other teenagers and young adults. They see this as fun - but it comes with
a serious long-term price tag.

Now here comes an even more interesting, and potentially
very relevant, finding:

The researchers are investigating the over-production in
the brain of a stress chemical called CRF, which is released by
alcohol-dependent rats – and also probably human alcoholics – during times of
abstinence. CRF generates feelings of anxiety which can be relieved only by
drinking again.

Dr Koob said the latest results suggest that CRF-blocking
drugs could work to prevent alcohol dependence.

No, he loses me there. It sounds good in theory, provided
that we have no fear of the pharmaceutical industry - which, for me, would be a
very dangerous state. There are better ways of preventing a relapse back to
alcohol dependence than through taking any form of mood-altering substance.

The experience of human alcoholics is that they go up the
wall when they are abstinent. The rats appear to do the same.

The preventive treatment that works for humans in the
long term is the Twelve Step programme
of Alcoholics Anonymous. These abstinent
Alcoholics should have no interest in their last drink: it's the prospect of
the consequences of the next one that should worry them. In the meantime, by
working the Twelve Step programme on a daily basis, they should be able to be
content and creative without any form of chemical dependency. They should
discover that, contrary to their previous beliefs, drinking alcohol is not a
vital part of a happy life.

Having learned in a news story last week that mice can
sing to each other, I wonder if we could introduce these poor 'binge drinking'
rats to AA.

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DR ROBERT LEFEVER

Dr Robert Lefever established the very first addiction treatment centre in the UK that offered rehabilitation to eating disorder patients, as well as to those with alcohol or drug problems. He was also the first to treat compulsive gambling, nicotine addiction and workaholism.
He identified 'Compulsive Helping', when people do too much for others and too little for themselves, as an addictive behaviour and he pioneered its treatment.
He has worked with over 5,000 addicts and their families in the last 25 years and, until recently, ran a busy private medical practice in South Kensington.
He has written twenty six books on various aspects of depressive illness and addictive behaviour.
He now provides intensive private one-to-one care for individuals and their families.

He has written twenty six books on various aspects of depressive illness and addictive behaviour.

He now uses his considerable experience to provide intensive private one-to-one care for individuals and their families.